In astrology, the zodiac wheel is divided into 12 signs and 12 respective houses. It is also quartered into four elements: fire, earth, air and water.
Within the element of earth are the signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. While each of these signs is individuated by a set of traits and tendencies, all three are bound by the common ground of their ruling element.
At their most essential, earth signs are hedonists who delight in the corporeal: sex, food, sleep, a stiff drink and a soft bed. They need to feel comfortable in their surroundings and at home in their skin.
This commitment to comfort manifests differently across the signs. For Taurus, pleasure is a birthright, for Virgo a reward and for Capricorn something that must be earned through sacrifice or deprivation.
An overlooked quality of earth signs is that they love to party — ye olde “work hard, play hard” paradigm. They typically insist on hosting — Taurus because they favor their own aesthetic and not leaving the house, Virgo because their dietary restrictions are specific and Capricorn because they don’t trust anyone.
The elements are divided into feminine (earth and water) and masculine (fire and air) signs; that distinction is less about gender norms and more about the dichotomy of yin and yang, or passive, receptive energy vs. active, expelled energy. Feminine earth signs, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn tend to carry energy, hurt and history; receiving it from those around them, internalizing it and oftentimes holding onto it longer than is necessary or personally nourishing.
Not an impulsive lot, they prefer to observe and respond rather than react. As such, even the most gregarious of earth signs has a touch of the introvert about them. They are resistant to sudden change because they want time to consider whether a new approach is better. They like to let the dust settle before coming to a conclusion or taking action but, once they do, their decisions are firm and opinions and trajectories difficult to shift. Every “maybe” uttered by an earth sign is really just an incubating “no.”
Earth signs embody the connection between the dirt we are made of and the dirt we return to, and their guiding principle is endurance. These folks exist to have bodily experiences and transcend when they are able to marry the physical and the spiritual, the intangible to the tangible.
Virgo Mary Oliver wrote what may have been a love letter to all earth signs in her poem Wild Geese:
“You do not have to be good./ You do not have to walk on your knees/ for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting./ You only have to let the soft animal of your body/ love what it loves.”
Earth signs are at their most whole when they are able to forgive themselves, listen to their animal bodies and feed them well.
Cue “Dirt” by the Stooges and read on for more.
Earth signs in love
There is a practicality to earth signs and while they don’t fall in love at first sight they do fall hard. These folks are about the slow burn and the long haul. Pragmatic romantics, they prefer to invest in long-term relationships rather than short flings or seasonal affairs. They want what lasts whether it is a partner, a cashmere sweater or a cast iron skillet. Evidence of the enduring spirit of love in an earth sign relationship? The quarter-century romance between Capricorn spaceman David Bowie and his supermodel wife Iman. The shadow side of this dedication is the tendency among earth signs to stay in relationships that no longer serve them because of a deeply rooted (pun intended) sense of duty.
It’s tempting to accuse earth signs of stoicism, as they are the last folks you’ll see crying in the bathroom or apologizing, publicly, privately or ever. It’s not that they don’t feel, it’s that, for most, emotional expression seems somewhat impractical. They would rather channel what they feel into what they can make. These people will build you an urn for the ashes of your dead pets (Virgo), pay your parking ticket (Capricorn) or bake you a pie when they are sorry (Taurus).
Creating alternative channels for feeling is healthy. Avoiding or denying them? Not so much. In love and in all relationships it is wise for earth signs to heed the wisdom of coke-sniffing, cigar-smoking Taurus daddy Sigmund Freud, who advised, “Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.”
Earth and fire signs
Fire invites earth to appreciate the thrill of an impulse decision and a garish sports car. Earth shows fire that a well-laid plan can be just as rewarding as accidental success. Apex Virgo Beyoncé and Sagittarius husband Jay-Z prove that together the hardest and hottest elements make for a royal couple.
Earth and earth signs
If ever there were two signs destined to stick it out in spite of how sticky love can get, it’s a pair of earth signs. These people dig in and hold on, which spells blue skies and a long life together for twin bulls and fellow earth signs Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly.
Earth and air signs
A marriage of ideas and implementation, air brings inspiration and earth makes it tangible. Trouble arises when air feels trapped by the practical approach of earth and earth, in turn, gets agitated by air’s seemingly endless whimsy. The two blend beautifully — and clean up famously — in the case of Taurus George Clooney and his Aquarius wife, Amal.
Earth and water signs
Water cultivates earth, making it more malleable and inviting those of the crust to engage with, and fully express their oft-neglected emotions. Love is sown and watered between Virgo Nick Jonas and his Cancer wife Priyanka Chopra.
Earth signs at work
There’s a stubborn and stalwart energy to earth signs. Generally speaking, if they can’t win, they don’t want to play. In the workplace, their strengths lie in their unwavering sense of duty and follow through — they do what must be done until it is done. Earth signs have high personal standards and fear disappointing others, a combination that makes them successful but unnecessarily critical of themselves. They are capable of taking direction from those they respect, though respect is hard won. Not easily flustered or intimidated, they crave acceptance but are deeply suspicious of praise. Earth signs are commonly referred to as the ‘builders’ of the zodiac as they don’t mind getting their hands dirty or pitching in for the greater good. They enjoy work partially because it affords them the finery they covet.
At their lowest vibration earth signs can be uncompromising and unimaginative, struggling to accept untested ideas or far flung alternatives to the status quo. Believing themselves to be the most capable members of any team, there is a danger among earth signs of shouldering too much responsibility, a tendency that, gone unchecked, easily veers into martyrdom. That is compounded by the fact that they have a hard time asking for, or accepting help from others.
Also, bro, be it in the spheres of work or relationships, it should be noted that earth signs can conceal NOTHING. For evidence of earth-bound side-eyes speaking louder than words, I bring you Exhibits A, B and C.
Ideal Careers for earth Signs: dictator, architect, farmer, chef, interior designer, potter, tailor, woodworker, gravedigger
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
Ruler:Venus
Quality:Fixed
Ruled by Venus, planet of love, beauty and possessions, Taurus is the sign of expensive sheets, masturbation as self-care and give me snacks or give me death. At their most indulgent, Tauruses are prone to materialism and inertia. They have a bad habit of treating people as a means to an end and objects to collect. At their highest expression, they make for gracious hosts, ironclad confidantes and generally a very good time. Because Taurus is related to value and value systems they often struggle with self-esteem but are able to help others discern what is and isn’t essential. As a Fixed sign, Taurus is challenged by change and slow to adapt. They are inexhaustibly loyal, sometimes to a fault, extending this devotion to people that neither deserve nor reciprocate it.
Serious sensualists, they are soothed by earthly delights and hold comfort above all else; bulls love to laze and graze, baby, and are happiest eating, post-coital, in a caftan in the sunshine. It’s hard to provoke a Taurus out of their pasture or into battle — but be wary when you do. Case in point: raging Bull Teresa Guidice, who — in the most Taurean act of war in the history of housewives — allegedly stabbed Danielle Staub with a fork.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
Ruler:Mercury
Quality: Mutable
Ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication, Virgos processes and distills information quickly and efficiently. They have a real love of literature and a hunger for knowledge but are allergic to flowery language and flaky people. Reserved until they are set in an environment that speaks to their brand of wilderness, Virgos trade in constructive criticism. Remember, they aren’t judging you — they’re observing you. They can be quick to denounce or dismiss, but their intent is never to offend — only to elevate. Because they see room for improvement and the potential for perfection in all things, they tend to view people as projects. that leads to a pattern of dating down and downright slumming it in romantic relationships.
A Mutable sign, Virgo is highly adaptable and called to serve the needs of the collective. Within that calling, they don’t want help, they don’t want reciprocity, they wish only to be seen and appreciated for their always tireless, often completely unsolicited efforts.
Virgos possess specific and oft-imitated personal style. Cases in point: Virgo vanguard Billy Porter, Queen Bey Beyoncé and Zendaya, a k a the youngest person to ever receive a CFDA Fashion Icon Award.
Virgos are not immune to suffering, but they are industrious about it, proving gracious enough to use the lessons of their losses to light the way for others. Case in point: Virgo Evan Rachel Wood, who came forward about the abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of ex-fiancé Marilyn Manson in an effort to help forge and support the passing of California’s Phoenix Act, a bill that extended the statute of limitations for domestic violence cases from three to five years.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
Ruler:Saturn
Quality:Cardinal
Horned, horny, hedge fund-loving Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the punishing planet of rules, restrictions and playing the long game. If Saturn was an actor, it would be Clint Eastwood in “Gran Torino” — equal parts heart and hard edges.
There is an aloofness to Capricorn’s energy that makes them appear emotionally removed. They have high standards and can be quite punishing, but they are, without exception, hardest on themselves. Their earthen nature is revealed in their preference for utilitarian luxury, mainly high-end luggage, durable watches and anything with a lifetime guarantee. While they’re just as depraved as the rest of us, they maintain decorum about their appetites, preferring to keep their kinks private and indulgences secret.
Sea goats are patient, innately sensitive to the fact that it takes time for a plan, an insider trade or a revenge plot to come together. Built for success at all costs, they’re guilty of dismissing and or subtly shaming those that lack their ambition or subvert their moral code. If you disappoint them, you will rue the day.
But please don’t let the polish of professionalism fool you; Capricorns are a herd of Grade-A mad geniuses and weirdos. Proof can be found in sea-goat natives Jared “carry a replica of my own head on the red carpet” Leto, Nicolas “barefoot in a bar” Cage, OG cousin-loving goth boy Edgar Allen Poe, and Jeff “better living through chemistry” Bezos.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
